A Tangled Web
by funvince
Summary: Ch 1: Eugene's had a long day. Coming back from the dead will do that. And now the King wants to talk to him? Ch 2: The Queen thinks about what type of person her daughter has become. She has missed so many moments. Can she really be a mother now?
1. The King and I

**A Tangled Web**

**Chapter 1: The King and I**

As I watched Rapunzel fall into her parents' arms with tears of joy running down her face, I felt a familiar ache swell within my chest. Growing up in the orphanage, I had often looked out my window and watched as other children got adopted and taken to their new homes by their new parents.

The expressions of joy on their faces always gave me a slight pang. Don't get me wrong, I was happy for my friends, but it was hard not to be a little bitter as well because...

Nobody ever came for me.

I'd wondered if the reason that I didn't have a family was because there was something wrong with me.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that such childish angst made me turn to a life of crime, but wanting to be like my hero was not the only reason why I changed my name to Flynn Rider. I had grown to despise the person I was. Because Eugene Fitzherbert was clearly an unlovable child, a bad child. Good children had homes and families who loved them. I did not. The conclusion was obvious.

Even though I was now a grown man who had seen too much of the world to believe that life was fair, a part of me had still believed that I must have done something horrendous to deserve my fate.

That part of me had died, ironically, in the same instant I had come back to life. Because if there was anybody in the world who deserved to grow up in a loving home with her mother and father beside her, it would be Rapunzel. Nobody would ever convince me that this beautiful, wonderful girl had done something to deserve being locked up in a tower for eighteen years with that old witch of a woman for company.

So I was happy for my formerly blonde-haired companion even if I couldn't help but feel a little envious that I would never get to experience such a tender, loving family moment.

And perhaps because Fate felt that I hadn't been proven wrong enough times for today, this was the moment that Rapunzel's mother, _the Queen of Corona,_ reached her hand out to me. A bit befuddled, I took it thinking she wanted to shake the hand of the man who brought her daughter home, and before I knew it I was experiencing my first group hug.

If I was in my right mind then I would have wondered what the Queen was thinking hugging the most wanted thief in the kingdom. She knew nothing about my character or motivations. I could have been some greedy opportunist who had stumbled across their daughter and was just taking advantage of this situation. Maybe she was so happy that she would have hugged a leper if he had brought the lost princess home. But I was too overwhelmed by the feeling of warmth and belonging to think clearly.

I'm sure that the Flynn in me would have gagged at such a sappy sentiment, but Eugene was in control again and he felt a little sappiness was all right once in a while. But just once in a while. After all, I had a fake reputation to defend.

The moment disappeared quickly enough as all good moments do, and I found a reason to excuse myself to the other end of the balcony. I didn't want to intrude on this family reunion any further, and I was beginning to feel a bit awkward. So I looked down on the city of Corona. I had always enjoyed looking at the castle whenever I was in the area. I had never expected to be on the other end of that viewpoint. At least not without a noose around my neck.

Life sure could take you down some interesting paths.

I stood and admired the view for awhile until I felt a presence beside me.

"So you are the infamous Flynn Rider," the King said quietly.

It was a statement, not a question.

I winced a bit. It may have been an unrealistic hope, but I had really hoped that he wouldn't notice that I was the man who stole his daughter's crown. After all, I look nothing like my wanted poster!

I was also surprised by actually hearing the man speak. I had started to wonder if Corona had a mute head of state. I guess he was just the strong, silent type. And, boy, he knew how to glare. He must have taken a class on how to look kingly and intimidate lowly thieves out of their wits.

My first instinct was to put up a show of bravado and crack a joke like I always did, but I sensed that this was not the best time. Hey, I can be sensitive. It usually only happens when I'm trying to con someone, but that's probably something I should keep to myself.

"Yes, your Majesty. I am Flynn Rider," I replied, looking him straight in the eye.

"The thief."

I couldn't help it. I said, "No, the beloved children's character."

The King looked at me even more sternly (which I didn't think was possible!) then he threw his head back and laughed. It was actually more of a light chuckle, but it was still a shock to see such a solemn and regal face dissolve into laughter like that.

"Your Majesty?" I said uncertainly.

"I suppose that it is only fitting. One criminal took my daughter away and now another one returns her. A swashbuckling rogue too, by the look of it! I feel like I'm in a fairy tale."

Even though I had been in imminent danger of being hanged by his guards earlier today, I couldn't help but warm to the man. I could see why the people of this kingdom loved him, and I could see where Rapunzel got some of her incessant cheer.

But I was still wary. The King was a good man, but he was also a hard man and my fate was still in his hands. I had once heard that the king was a merciful man, but that was a long time ago. He had been a great believer in giving second chances and allowing those who were not complete monsters the opportunity to redeem themselves and turn their lives around.

But then his daughter was taken from him.

By all accounts, he was still a fair and just man. He wasn't cruel and he was quick to forgive honest mistakes like always, but if you came before him as a criminal you could expect to be treated fairly and with strict adherence to the laws of the land. What you would not expect was sympathy for there was no longer room in the King's heart for such emotion. There was only grief.

It was said that it was as if a light inside him had died out.

Now this is just what I've heard in taverns and from gossiping busybodies, so it may be a little exaggerated, but I'd heard that the King promised that if his daughter was returned he would not only grant a full pardon to whomever was involved in the kidnapping, he would reward that person or people with anything in his power short of the crown itself if only his daughter was returned.

Some accounts say that the man was even willing to abdicate the throne if that was what it took, but his advisers had convinced him that throwing the kingdom into chaos wouldn't help matters at all.

I had been a hardcore cynic even as a child, and I had never truly believed any version of that story. I mean, yeah, parents were supposed to love their kids and all that, but it was unbelievable to me that anyone could promise to potentially give up all of their power and riches and actually mean it.

Many years later, I would toss the crown that had taken me so much effort to obtain and the key to buying my own castle at the feet of the Stabbington brothers without a second thought.

So perhaps the King and I had something in common after all.

"Mr. Rider, it must have-"

"Eugene, your Majesty," I said. I mentally kicked myself a bit for actually interrupting _the King_, but I was already committed so I continued, "My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert. Not a name that rolls easily off the tongue, but it's starting to grow on me."

"I see. Well then, Mr. _Fitzherbert_-"

I sighed. I suppose it was too much for a thief to ask to be on a first name basis with royalty. Speaking of which, what was this guy's name anyway?

"-I'm sure it must have occurred to you that you were able to get in to see my wife and me rather easily."

That has occurred to me. Rapunzel and I could not possibly have been the first people to pull the 'long-lost daughter' routine in Corona. And we had no proof. I had been prepared to do some fast-talking and skull-bashing, but that hadn't been necessary at all. The Captain of the Guard had been so baffled by my return that he sent a messenger to the King for orders, which I had expected him to do. What I hadn't expected was that the King would be so willing to see the two of us.

I said, "I admit I was surprised by that. I'd figured that you and the Queen were simply curious about why your most recent escapee would wander back to you with the most ridiculous story ever."

"There was that," the King admitted. "It has also been a long-standing policy in this kingdom that anyone claiming to be the princess was to get an immediate audience with my wife and me. It would hardly make any sense to send out signals into the sky every year and then make it impossible for my daughter to respond to it."

"Makes sense."

"I do not usually expect much from these type of meetings. My wife and I have been exposed to every kind of con known to man. There are a surprising number of fair-skinned, blonde, green-eyed freckled women in this world who think nothing of attempting to fleece this kingdom for all it was worth."

"Having the country's most wanted thief waltz into town with a green-eyed brunette probably didn't instill you with a lot of confidence in this particular meeting," I replied, rubbing the back of my head.

"On the contrary, this was the most hopeful that I had felt in ages," the King replied.

"What?"

"Aside from the fact that only an idiot would put his head back into the lion's mouth after having escaped it, I could not imagine that Flynn Rider or any reasonably competent con artist would make the amateurish mistake of getting my daughter's _hair color _wrong! That suggested that there was more to your claim than met the eye. In addition, while I have heard many things about the illustrious Flynn Ryder, I have never heard that he was the type of man who would exploit a couple's grief for their lost daughter."

I shuffled my feet guiltily. I suddenly couldn't look the other man in the eye. I said quietly, "I don't know about that. I did steal your daughter's crown..."

"There is a grave difference between suffering caused by indifference and by maliciousness," the King replied solemnly. "The former is often a result of youthful impetuousness and can be outgrown while the latter is often the sign of a twisted character. I think of myself as a good judge of character, and it did not sound like you were the malicious sort."

"Is that why you were going to have be hanged?" I asked, sounding more bitter than I intended. But can you blame me?

The King didn't even flinch. He replied, "The penalty for theft of royal items has to be severe enough to prevent this type of thievery. It was no secret. You knew the risks, and you took them anyway."

He had me there. I knew exactly what I had been getting into. The thought of getting enough money to fulfill my dreams in one swoop had simply been too much to resist. The thought of being hanged for my crimes hadn't deterred me for a moment, which either proved the King's point about my impetuousness or that I was way too arrogant for my own good. Probably a little bit of both.

And I've been to places where the penalty for theft _started _at having one's dominant arm chopped off and got worse from there. Death probably would have been preferable to being reduced to beggary. Although if anyone could have created a successful career as a one-armed bandit, it would have been Flynn Rider...

"On the other hand, perhaps the penalty for this particular crime need not be quite so... final. Lives are much more important than mere objects after all. This might be something to discuss at the next Council session," the King said, giving a thoughtful look over at Rapunzel.

Look at that. Blondie's only been here for five minutes and the old man was already turning into a softy. Let us hope that she continues to use her power only for good.

I smiled then I said, "While I'm always up for a good discussion on the reformation of the justice system, wouldn't you rather be talking with your long-lost daughter instead of me?"

The King looked at me again with that penetrating stare that felt like he was staring into my soul. I resolutely stared back. My soul may have been a little tarnished, but it was not so black that I could not hold my head up high.

"You have not asked about the reward," the King said at last.

I was taken aback. "Reward? What? No, that's totally not necessary. That is _so_ not the reason I did this-"

"Oddly enough, I believe you. The fact remains, however, that a reward was promised for the safe return of my daughter. Eighteen years ago, I announced to the world that anything in my power short of the crown itself was for the taking."

"But I'm a thief!"

"I would not care if you were Attilla the Hun!" the King thundered. "I am a man who keeps my promises! When I promise to do something, then I will do it!"

I had the oddest feeling of deja vu.

The King softened his tone as he said, "Do not mistake me, young man. This is not merely about keeping an oath. My wife had always believed that Rapunzel would come back to us one day, but I will admit that I had given up such hopes a long time ago. I do not know if you can understand the pain of losing someone you love."

I thought about the moment when I thought I would lose Rapunzel forever to that Gothel woman.

"I think that I do understand. At least a little bit."

The King raised his eyebrows at my solemn tone. Then he said, "Perhaps you do. Now, we have gotten off the topic at hand. Mr. Fitzherbert, I must insist that you name your reward."

I didn't know why I was hesitating so much. Wasn't this the chance of a lifetime? I could have anything I wanted. I could ask for enough money to buy ten islands. Wasn't this what I've been working for since I was a child?

Yet somehow my old dream of living on a secluded island surrounded by piles of money wasn't quite as appealing as it used to be. I looked over at Rapunzel and I remembered my dying words to her. She was my dream now, and a life without her would seem unbearably lonely.

I wanted to be by her side forever.

The Flynn in me gagged at this syrupy thought then he pointed out that I had the power to do that now. After all, it was traditional in fairy tales for the dashing hero to get the princess's hand in return for his daring deeds. But I immediately rejected that idea. It just didn't seem right to me to ask the King to hand Rapunzel over like she was some kind of prize. I wouldn't be any better than that Gothel woman if I did that. Besides, it was definitely not a good way to get on her parents' good side!

I don't know how long I stood there thinking, but the King never showed one sign of impatience. He stood silently beside me until I said, "I know what I want."

"Name it and you shall have it."

"I want a second chance."

The King looked surprised. He said, "Perhaps I should have been more clear. I had already planned to pardon you for your crimes out of gratitude for your heroic deed. What would you like in addition to-"

"I don't want anything else," I interrupted, which was again still not the brightest idea in the world. "This is not just me being proud. You've probably sensed it by now, but I think your daughter is utterly stupendous. I fully intend to try to win her heart, and I will not have it said that I'm only doing it because you gave me a title or a castle.

"I have always worked for everything that I have. The work may have not been honest but it was still work. All I want is a clean slate so that I can be judged based on who I am and what I've accomplished and not what anyone else has given me. I want a second chance not just in the eyes of the law but in the eyes of you and the Queen. I want to prove that I'm a man who is worthy of the princess."

"That sounds like a risky proposition," the King said with a stone face. "There is no guarantee that the princess would remain as enchanted with you as she does now. You may end up regretting this choice. Are you certain that you would rather not simply have a castle?"

I couldn't read what the man was thinking at all. He would definitely be a great poker player. Even so, that didn't change anything for me.

"She's worth the risk. And I won't regret trying. The only regrets that a man has are for when he doesn't try at all."

The King finally broke out in a broad smile. He slapped me on the back and said, "Well said! I'm beginning to see what Rapunzel sees in you. From this moment forward, you are welcome in my kingdom."

"Thank you, your Majesty."

"As long as you behave yourself," the King added.

I had to grin at that. "Of course."

"Welcome to your new life, Eugene Fitzherbert."

* * *

Author's Notes

I really enjoyed the movie _Tangled_. It's been a long time since I've seen an old school Disney film like this one. I have also really been impressed with the high quality of fanfic in this fandom so far, and I wanted to join in on the fun.


	2. The Queen

**Chapter 2: The Queen**

I have a daughter again.

For eighteen years, I have hoped and prayed for my daughter, my little Rapunzel, to return to me. Every year, my husband and I would launch a burning lantern into the sky as a beacon to guide my lost child home. My friends had asked me once how such a plan was supposed to work.

"She was only a baby when she was taken. There was never even a ransom demand! Even assuming that she's not on the other side of the world, she probably has no idea that she's supposed to be a princess. Why would she think that these lights were in any way meant for her? All you're doing is lighting a path for every con artist in the world to follow here!"

They didn't understand. They had never lost a child. At least they were kind enough to not say what they were really thinking, which was that my daughter was probably dead in a ditch somewhere. As the days and years went by, I could see in my husband's eyes that he had begun to believe that as well. For him and so many others in Corona, the Festival of Lights was a day of remembrance rather than a day of hope.

I had never doubted that Rapunzel was alive. Some might call that wishful thinking or a refusal to face reality, and perhaps they were right. Yet every human being goes through life with a set of beliefs that can not be proven. How did they know that God existed or that the sun would rise tomorrow? How did they know that life was not but a dream?

They didn't know any of this, but they believed anyway.

I chose to believe that my daughter was out there somewhere. Even if she never came home, I wanted to convey my love to her and my hopes that, wherever she was, she was safe and happy. If all I could do was bring her even the slightest bit of joy from seeing some pretty lights, then that was what I would do. Even if she was on the other side of the world, then perhaps she would one day hear from a traveler the tale of a mother's love and it would touch her heart.

I still wished with all my heart that I could hold her in my arms again. There were days when I wonder how I summon the strength to even get out of bed, and then there were times when I suddenly realize that I hadn't thought of my daughter once all day. My memory of what she looked like and the little time we spent together was already fading, and my biggest fear was that I would be unable to remember her face at all one day.

Perhaps that was the reason that my husband and I never tried to have another child. My husband, the dear man, never even raised the subject with me. I think he also could not bear the thought of replacing our daughter. Our decision was condemned by many as a selfish risk to the royal line. Perhaps it was, but the nice thing about being royalty was that we did not have to explain our decisions to anyone. We may have had a duty to the people to have a heir, but it was our decision as to when that would happen. We could not put off the problem forever, but putting it off until we were ready was what we had decided to do.

My friends were correct about one thing. My husband and I have been visited by possibly every blonde-haired, green-eyed girl within a hundred miles. I had never learned to harden my heart like my husband did, and I could not hold back the surge of anticipation that would inevitably end in disappointment.

They were not all charlatans. Many of these girls were sincerely earnest that they were destined for greater things than to be a farm girl or a midwife. It broke my heart to have to disappoint them. I tried to convince them that they were still special even if they were not princesses, but I suppose such statements sound hollow when coming from a queen.

It had been quite some time since a girl had come to the castle proclaiming to be my daughter, so I was surprised when I heard that another one had arrived, and in the company of a wanted thief! My heart started beating faster then. I had felt this burst of anticipation dozens of times before, but there was something different about it this time. It was almost as if I could sense what was about to come.

I have never truly believed in the idea that mothers had some mysterious sixth sense, but I do not know how else to explain what happened that day. All I remember is when I flung open the door and looked out at the girl on the balcony _I knew that she was my daughter. _

We live in a magical world. Perhaps it is best not to question a miracle too much when it appears. I was too overcome by emotion to ponder the nature of my revelation. I wanted to laugh and cry and grab a hold of my little girl and never let go.

Yet she was no longer a little girl. She was a woman now. Eighteen years had passed since I last saw her. Eighteen years...

"Mo-mother?"

I lifted my head from the pages of the book that I had been staring blankly at for the last ten minutes, and I smiled warmly at my daughter.

"Yes, dear?"

Rapunzel shyly smiled back at me. She said, "You said that you'd brush my hair before we went to bed?"

As I picked up the comb on my bedside table, Rapunzel sat down in front of me so that we could begin our recently formed bedtime ritual. Rapunzel gingerly felt her short, brown hair with a melancholy expression. She said, "I wish you could have seen my hair when it was longer. It took me _forever _to brush it! And washing it was a nightmare! But I still miss it. It was so useful! It kept me warm in the winter and I could play jump rope with it and swing around the tower with it. Eugene thinks the reason I'm so strong is because I was always pulling myself and Mo-Gothel..."

Rapunzel fell silent.

My fingers twitched a bit, but I forced myself to continue combing as if nothing was wrong. Rapunzel had not told me much about her life in the tower, but it was easy enough to fill in the blanks. My daughter had not yet gained the ability to hide her emotions. She wore her feelings on her face plainly for all to see.

I had learned many things about my daughter's numerous hobbies and her chameleon friend Pascal. I had heard about Rapunzel's exciting adventure to go see the floating lights, but she had yet to tell me what happened after she saw them. I suspected that story involved the aspect of her life that she had been unwilling to talk about, which was the woman who raised her, Gothel.

It was an odd feeling to finally have a name to put to the villain who kidnapped my baby so many years ago. It was an even worse feeling to realize that Rapunzel had spent most of her life thinking that this woman was her mother and, despite everything, some part of her probably always would.

Rapunzel would undoubtedly be aghast that I had figured out her secret so easily, but it was impossible to fail to notice the alternating displays of love and sorrow on her face whenever she mentioned Gothel without realizing it. Nor could I miss the slight hesitation in her voice whenever she called me her mother.

I was forcibly reminded of the fact that I had missed my daughter's first steps. I would never know what her first word was. There was no collection of old clothes and shoes that she had outgrown. There were no memories of birthdays or Christmases or any special occasions with her at all.

Gothel had stolen those moments from me.

I would never forgive her for it.

I blinked back my tears, and trying to keep my voice steady, I said, "Tell me about your day, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel's face immediately brightened. She said, "I woke up early to watch the sun rise. The view from the castle is so different from the one at the tower! You can't imagine how fantastic it is to watch the sun appear from a different vantage point. I just had to paint it!"

She was right. I truly could not imagine looking at the same scenery for eighteen years with the only differences stemming from seasonal variation.

"After that, I got dressed so that I could help the maids clean my room. I think they've given up on trying to convince me that a proper princess doesn't clean her own room. I'm sure they know what they're talking about, but I just feel so uncomfortable with the idea of other people cleaning up my messes."

The servants had initially tried to explain to her that she didn't have to help them with their chores, but she just looked at them with uncomprehending eyes and said that she _wanted _to help them. The palace staff discovered too late that it was almost impossible to refuse my daughter anything after looking into her shimmering green eyes. My husband and I found that out the hard way.

"When I was done with cleaning, I went down to the kitchen so that I could help the cooks make breakfast. I also wanted to bake some cookies for the guards because standing around all day must be awfully boring. I spent a few hours in the library. I still can't believe that the world has so many books in it! After lunch, I went to town for the mid-afternoon dance. I ended up talking with a bunch of the shopkeepers before I went to the park to play chess with some of the old folk. Then Eugene picked me up and we went on a ride on Maximus over to the orphanage so that we could play with them and read them stories. After we came home, Father and I did some painting in the gallery before dinner. And you know what I did after that because you were there."

"Yes, I greatly enjoyed the puppet show you put on for us," I said.

Rapunzel's face turned pink with happiness. Then she continued talking about her plans for tomorrow were going to be.

I had to admire her enthusiasm even as I wondered where in the world she got all this energy. In so many ways, she was still a child who was eager to talk to everyone and try everything. I could not blame her for wanting to make up for all of the living she had missed. I wished that I could still see the world as she did, full of brightness and infinite possibilities.

I may not have been able to look at the world with innocent eyes anymore, but I felt a sense of peace and serenity whenever I looked at Rapunzel. She had the ability to bring a smile to the face of anyone who had met her. I only hoped that she could maintain her sunny outlook in a world that was filled with both darkness and light. Somehow, I had the feeling that she could.

Rapunzel was a remarkably talented girl. In addition to her numerous skills and hobbies, she was also extremely intelligent. The initial tests she had been given proved that. She was very knowledgeable about many subjects, but she was surprisingly ignorant of what many considered to be common sense knowledge. Rapunzel was truly curious about everything and I felt like that I had the chance to live through my child's 'why, why, why' stage after all.

From what I had been able to glean, Gothel had not been a very nurturing mother. I suspected that the woman gave Rapunzel books to read more out of a desire to get the girl to stop pestering her with non-stop questions rather than a desire to improve Rapunzel's mind.

I suppose that Rapunzel will have to be taught decorum at some point. There were standards that royalty had to uphold. That, however, was a problem for another day. It was simply too refreshing to have someone as uninhibited and free-spirited as her around. I fear that my husband and I will spoil her. Neither of us have the heart to deny her anything, and we do not want the castle to feel like another prison to her.

I saw Rapunzel try to cover up a yawn, and I smiled gently at her. I said, "It is getting late. Perhaps... you would like to sleep together tonight?"

I said the question in a joking manner, but I was partly serious. I had been unable to sleep soundly ever since Rapunzel had come home. I had found myself wandering over to Rapunzel's room at least twice at night to make sure that she was still there. I knew that I was being silly, but I could not relieve myself of the anxiety I felt whenever she was out of my sight.

I expected Rapunzel to protest that she was too old to have a sleepover, but she surprised me by clapping her hands together in obvious glee and saying that she would love that.

Fifteen minutes later, we were in Rapunzel's bed. She had thrown on a nightgown and brushed her teeth while I explained to my husband what we were doing. He was amused by the whole thing, and told me to have a nice slumber party and not to be too loud with our pillow fights. I rolled my eyes at his smirk and wished him a good night.

As I entered Rapunzel's room, I saw the girl leap onto her bed with youthful glee. I followed suit at a more sedate and gingerly pace. I knew that I looked very young for my age, but that did not mean that I could jump and twirl about like my daughter did on a daily basis. At least not without many bags of ice and doctors standing by.

As I pulled the covers over my legs, Rapunzel hugged her pillow to her chest and said excitedly, "I've never had a sleepover before! I read about them in my books though!"

I laughed a little then I said, "I am afraid that it is not going to be that exciting with only your mother for company."

"That's still very exciting!" Rapunzel insisted. She said, "I never slept in a bed with another person before. Eugene and I slept outside on the ground so that doesn't count. Moth- Gothel never wanted to sleep together. She said that she was used to being alone and didn't want me kicking her in my sleep..."

Rapunzel trailed off and an obvious air of melancholy settled around her.

Hoping to lift the mood, I put a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder and said, "I think that you will find that I am a very deep sleeper, so you may kick to your heart's content. I do not, however, promise that you will not be experiencing some kicks and punches of your own as your father can attest."

That did the trick. Rapuznel started giggling and her mood visibly lightened. After she composed heself, she said, "I appreciate the sentiment, but you don't have to worry about me. I don't think I kick at all in my sleep. Right, Pascal?"

The chameleon who had been quietly sitting on the dresser spread his hands and gave a slight shrug.

"Pascal! Not you too!"

I could not help but break out laughing again. I had not felt this good in a very long time. Then I decided to change the subject to something that Rapunzel had said earlier and asked, "How did you and Euguene meet anyway?"

I already knew the general outline of the story, but we had not really had the time to get into the specifics, and while Rapunzel could talk at length about all the wonders she had seen on her journey to Corona she had been rather vague about how her journey had begun in the first place. All I knew was that Eugue Fitzherbert had hidden himself in my daughter's tower to escape pursuit by the palace guards and had somehow been convinced to escort Rapunzel to the Festival of Lights.

To my surprise, Rapunzel blushed. She twiddled her thumbs and said in a very embarrassed tone, "You have to understand that I had never seen another person besides Mo-Gothel before. And I've always been told that men was scary, disgusting creatures. So when I saw this stranger climb into my tower I immediately hit him with my frying pan. Twice. Then I locked him in my closet. Later, I blackmailed him into taking me to see the lanterns. And I may have hit him with my pan again during the negotiations."

I really tried to maintain a serious expression as I listened to Rapunzel's story, but she had such an adorably flustered look on her face that I could not help but smile. I said, "My goodness! Here, I had been worried about you traveling with a wanted criminal when I should have been concerned about poor Eugene's safety against such a dangerous girl like you!"

"Mother!"

Rapunzel covered her mouth with both hands, shock in her eyes.

"You called me mother," I said softly.

Rapunzel lowered her hands and looked at me shyly. She said, "I guess I did."

I reached over and squeezed her hand as I said, "I'm glad."

What just happened appeared to have eased something inside Rapunzel because the complete story of her journey home came pouring out of her.

She told me about the exhilaration and guilt she felt at leaving the tower for the first time in her life. She told me about the new friends she made at the Snuggly Duckling. I was a little concerned about my daughter's propensity for befriending thugs and ruffians, but it seemed to be working out for her so far. I only hoped that her experiences would not give her a skewed perspective of the criminal class. Eugene should be able to help protect her from her own naivety though.

As I listened to Rapunzel's story, my opinion of Eugene Fitzherbert, which was already favorable to begin with, improved even more. He had clearly become smitten with my daughter early on. He was apparently also a naturally kind man as he went further than he was required to give Rapunzel a joyous birthday.

Rapunzel was a gifted storyteller, and I would have to ask her to do her impression of Eugene when he was around. I would also have to inquire if her imitation of his Smoulder really looked like that. It was an exciting tale that Rapunzel told and it was filled with romance, adventure, and comedy. I wondered why she had not told me about this before.

My amusement faded when Rapunzel started describing what happened to her after she and Eugene had watched the ceremony of the floating lanterns. All of her previous animation had left her face and hands, and her eyes were downcast as she spoke.

In an almost monotone voice, Rapunzel said quietly, "Gothel tricked me into going home with her. When I found out that I was the lost princess, she tied me up and was going to drag me to another secret location. Eugene showed up to rescue me... And he... Gothel tried to... She fell out the window... and he was dying..."

Tears were streaming down her face, and I could not bear to watch any longer. I pulled her into a hug and said, "It is all right. You can stop now. I do not need to know what happened. The important thing is that you are safe and have come home."

Rapunzel clung to me tightly and whispered, "I'm sorry. I know that I shouldn't feel like this about her."

I was startled by that. I asked, "What do you mean?"

Rapunzel pulled back out of my embrace and starting wiping the tears off her face with her hands. She said quickly, "Nothing. I just... it's nothing."

"I know something is bothering you, Rapunzel. Is it about Gothel? Would you like to talk about it?"

Rapunzel looked away. She said, "There's not much to say."

I was a little hurt by her rejection. I suppose that it was too much to expect this girl to tell me her deepest fears and worries so soon. Our relationship was too new for that. I said quietly, "If you are not comfortable confiding in me, then I can go get Eugene or-"

"It's not like that!" Rapunzel said, grabbing my hands. "I don't want to keep secrets from you. It's just... I don't want to hurt you."

I understood now why Rapunzel had downplayed Gothel's role in her life so much. From the little that she and Eugene had said, I suspected that the woman had died. I thought that Rapunzel's reluctance to talk about her former caretaker stemmed from grief and a desire not to speak ill of the dead. It appeared that I was correct, but it seemed like that Rapunzel also wanted to protect me from hearing about her conflicted feelings. I was touched by that.

"I am your mother. If you are in pain, then it is only natural that I want to you help you. As much as I hate to admit it, you had a mother before me. I would be more concerned if you were not bothered by her death. You have to tell someone how you feel, even if it is not me. It is not healthy to keep this feelings bottled up."

Rapunzel was silent for a long time. I sat patiently next to her until she lifted her head and looked at me. She said, "I loved Gothel with all of my heart. She was my world. She made me hazelnut soup when I was sick and would travel for days to get me special paint. She wouldn't let me leave the tower, but she said it was to keep me safe. For the most part, I was happy.

"Yet... There was always a little distance between us that I couldn't figure out how to cross even before I figured out that she had kidnapped me and wasn't really my mother. She made fun of me and she never paid me as much attention as I would have liked. She was always talking at me and never listening to what I had to say. She could make me so frustrated! Even so... despite everything... I thought she cared about me."

The look on Rapunzel's face made my chest physically ache in sympathy. I did not dare speak because I knew that if I tried I would only break down in tears. My daughter needed me to be strong for her right now. I could only cup her cheek and try to convey the message that I was here for her.

Rapunzel gently put her hand over my cheek in reciprocation and gave me a sorrowful smile. She said, "It hurts knowing that I was just a tool to her and that the only reason she was nice to me was because she needed my magic hair to keep her young. She pretended to be my mother just so I would be obedient to her. I thought that I had a happy life, but that life was a lie. She told me that she loved me, but was a lie as well."

Her tear-filled eyes met mine, and I was at a loss for words. My child was in pain, and she was looking to me to make it go away. This was the part about being a mother for which I was not prepared, but I do not believe that anyone ever was. I knew of no magic words that could fix this problem. I could only say what was in my heart and hope that was enough.

"There is nothing I can say to you that will heal the scars inside your heart. I wish that I could tell you that, deep inside, Gothel really did love you, but I have no way of knowing if that was the case. It is my belief, however, that it would be extremely difficult for anyone who knew you to not you love you. I am probably biased in that belief, but that is only because I love you more than words can possibly convey.

"That is why even though I bear this Gothel woman a great deal of ill will, I am also grateful to her. She did not mistreat you or starve you or do any of the horrible things I feared would happen to you. You are a healthy, well-educated, polite, and loving person. That is more than I had ever hoped to see. You turned out to be a wonderful human being. Perhaps her feelings for you were not truly love, but I do not believe that it was all entirely a lie."

I leaned forward until my forehead was touching hers and I could look directly into her eyes. I said, "I do not know for certain what the truth is and we will probably never know, but I do know this. I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I will do everything in my power to convince you of that and that you are a person worthy of love. You are my daughter, Rapunzel, and nothing will ever change that."

Rapunzel stared at me with glistening eyes for a long moment then her face crumbled. She grabbed me around the waist and sobbed into the shoulder of my nightgown.

"Ssh... ssh... it is going to be all right."

I stroked her hair and muttered comforting words until she feel asleep.

I looked down at her peaceful sleeping face with a deep sense of serenity. There were moments in Rapunzel's childhood that I had missed, and I would always regret that, but there were many moments to come that I was going to get to spend with my daughter. When I thought about what I was going to gain instead of what I had lost, I felt like I could face anything.

For the first time in a very long time, I knew that I would be able to sleep peacefully through the night.


End file.
